Category: Intra-Faith
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: Advent and Waiting, Part 2
We are immersed in Advent now – most American Christians have trees strung with lights, bedecked with baubles and handmade ornaments, and perhaps even an early wrapped present or two hiding beneath ... Read More
“There is no such thing as Palestine!”–Dispatch from Palestine
“You can’t teach me anything about Europeans,” once commented the deputy mayor of Jerusalem. Europeans had killed his father. “You can’t teach me anything about Palestinians.” Palestinians... Read More
Service, Social Media, and the Self – Part 2
The first part of this sermon can be found here. —- So far, I have talked about my experiences, because that’s all I can talk about. It would be wrong for me to tell you what your feelings are... Read More
Service, Social Media, and the Self – Part 1
Towards the end of October, I posted a call to action from a sermon I delivered, to help us think about gratitude and our obligations to one another. Here is an edited version of that sermon. — Toda... Read More
“You are an ambassador”–Dispatch from Palestine
We drive along the barbed electric fence that surrounds the Israeli settlement of Har Gilo. We are headed to the Walajah valley of the Palestinian territory. The valleys are deep and lush with pine ... Read More
Life is Hard Here — Dispatch from Palestine
The heavy rain doused the aluminum-roofed shack. Rivulets carved paths through the thick mud around the house. But inside, the house was cozy, comfortable. Thick carpets and bouncy velvet couches make... Read More
The Beginning of a Settlement — Dispatch from Palestine
Mahmoud’s family lives one Palestinian hill over from a newly-forming illegal Jewish settlement. Six Jewish settlers arrived about a year ago with tents and made a primitive campsite. All year they ... Read More
Progressives, Prooftexts, and the Sermon on the Mount
It’s not easy to correct the errors of your tradition. The absolute ‘No!’ that seems like the most radical course too often ends up preserving the underlying logic of what you̵... Read More